A co-worker told me about this quasi-virtual study. It explores the idea of augmented reality and sexual exploration. So has a massive tech component, with a few extra steps. It's marketed as an "authentic" experience in the safety and comfort of your chosen space. Intriguing definitely, but very curious considering who told me about it.
I was quite surprised that this straight-laced co-worker would have a conversation about it with me. Personally, I thought of her as a prude. Really pretty but prudish. The type who wouldn't involve tongue in kissing or oral in foreplay. Yes, I've thought of that; I should be embarrassed about myself, but here we are.
This co-worker is shapely. She is not one to stand out, considering her plain taste in clothes. That is not to say she cannot get any man she wants; that would be far from the mark. It's best to think of her as a professional, keeping her head down and warding against unwelcome attention in an office environment. An astute approach to professional survival, since most executives in our department are women. None of them are the motherly or nurturing type.
Such was my shock that afternoon; I didn't even remember what we were talking about that led to that conversation. One moment we talked about our challenges during the pandemic, and the next my head was swimming in disbelief. By the time I got back to my office, I wondered if I was being surveilled by HR, and that conversation was a test. It wasn't, fortunately.
The Friday after that uncanny conversation, she sent me a link for the study. I didn't read much and just went straight to providing my delivery address. I figured the effort wouldn't make a difference since I know I'm going to try it out. I agreed to volunteer for the study, signed the confidentiality form, and allowed the companion app to be installed on my phone. That was it; everything was done in less than 5 minutes. I am going straight to the prose consequences of not reading the fine print.
My phone chimed. A notification popped up that I should expect a delivery tomorrow. This is followed by a reminder that the box should only be opened at the designated place and time. It sounded like pistols for a duel at high noon, I thought, chuckling.
I got a call from the front desk while having my Saturday dinner. I thought I double-ordered pizza and wings again. Concierge told me it wasn't another batch of food but a light square box, roughly 12 x 12 inches, and not very heavy. He further inquired if I was expecting any delivery. I told him I'd be right down and thanked him for accepting the package for me.
As soon as I returned to my unit, my phone chirped. It was an email from the last hotel I had a staycation in. It was an offer for a discounted stay from the night manager, though only for the next weekend. I would say odd; I don't think the 5-minute conversation in the lobby about how good their service was warranted such a good deal. It was a good deal, breakfast and all. I booked myself a room for Friday at full price. It cannot be said I'm taking advantage of the establishment's generosity.
The following Thursday, the aforesaid co-worker asked if I had signed up for the study. I didn't want to overshare, so I played coy. Eve, my co-worker seemed disappointed. She tried to brush it off by taking up some reports that are due next week. Reports that I sent to her a few days ago, but I knew she hadn't read yet, given her questions.
Friday evening, I got the box from my storage room, packed some clothes, and booked a car to bring me to the hotel across town. The hotel lobby was bustling. The night manager saw me in the lobby and walked up to me. "It's good to see you early, let me bring you to your room, and I'll have someone check you in later." said the night manager.
The night manager gestured, and an attendant swooped in. A few hushed instructions, and the attendant zipped away only to return momentarily with a trolley. In the meantime, the hotel manager taped my arm twice, told me he'd go ahead, and he looks forward to hearing about my stay. The attendant wordlessly got my small luggage, placed it in the middle of a large empty trolley, and led me to the elevators. After a long line to get into a lift and a short ride up, the attendant brought me to a bigger room than what I booked. I was told this would be my room for the whole weekend and quickly left after placing my luggage on the rack. I wasn't even to give a tip! It must be a really busy evening.
Once settled in my room, I called for room service and toyed with the idea of asking Eve if she had joined the study. I thought that might be deemed inappropriate and recalled my misgivings about dealing with HR. I did wonder what Eve does on weekends--work probably. I was about to call room service for some dinner when someone knocked with my meal in tow. Thinking about Eve made me forget I called for food already; I convinced myself.
After dinner, I opened the box, fished through the packing peanuts, and found a white visor-like device. Going through the box again, I found a black wristband. There were also instructions inside a plastic bag, reminiscent of TV manuals. Basically, it read: 1) open the app on your phone, select begin, and confirm; 2) wear the wristband; 3) sit down on a chair and wear the visor; and 4) tap the wristband on the arm of the chair. Further instructions will stream on the visor, according to the manual.
I followed the instructions while plopping down the lazy boy at the corner of the room. The visor covered my eyes like a VR goggle. The visor was clear, like eye protection wear. I fired up the app on the phone and wore the ordinary-looking wristband. I tentatively tapped the wristband on the lazy boy's armrest, and a range of motion blurred around me.
The visor turned opaque, blinding me. The wristband stuck to the chair as if by some powerful magnet, and I heard the door to my room suddenly open. I heard two sets of footsteps and things being placed on top of a flat surface. I felt panic, mostly because I was stripped down to my boxers. It would be really difficult to explain how it's not a "sex thing" and how I have a weird visor on my head and a hand stuck to a chair. After a few moments, the visor cleared up, and in the middle of my room were two form-fitting bodysuit-clad persons. At first, I thought it was a white latex catsuit, something you'd see in a German BSDM film. On a closer look, they seem to be wearing some kind of Spandex fabric. They were both wearing a hood made of the same fabric as their suit.
They turned to look at me as I began to try to pull my wrist from the chair. They both raised their hands and calmly gestured for me to wait, or was that to calm down? I relaxed on the chair, accepting whatever would happen--all my struggles wouldn't get me anywhere. One of the intruders slowly walked towards me, while the other placed a small white luggage on the bed.
I heard some static and a calm female voice saying the study now begins. It reminded me of Bitching Betty, except the voice isn't saying you're about to crash your plane. I observed the intruders and tried to get as many details as I could, just in case I had to talk to the police. They have different heights and have breasts beneath their suit. Such was my panic for me not to notice that the intruders were not only women but women of the shapely variety. Their bodysuit covers even their shoes. They act like they know what they are doing.
The visor suddenly flared white, blinding me for a moment. When my vision returned, the intruders were gone, and someone else was in their place. The shorter intruder became Eve; the other became a hot blonde who broke the silence by introducing herself as Grace. The visor is an advanced augmented reality device that can overlay an image over the bodysuit and mimic a person's voice perfectly with its sound system. I realize my former intruders are not here to disappear me, but this was the study I signed up for. I felt I might have read about this in the instruction manual I didn't read.
Grace walked towards me and touched the wristband, freeing me from the chair. She said that the wristband collects my vital information; I almost added that it is also a bondage device. Grace informed me that the app scanned my phone for my internet history with the aim of learning about my kinks and sexual preferences. I wanted to blame the invasion of data privacy on the wristband as well, but this was on me. I definitely should have read the manual.
Grace smiled and proudly gestured to the simulation of Eve, like it's an insight into what I like. If this is the culmination of the study, I wouldn't be impressed. Grace proceeded to explain that they were inclined to believe I joined the study because I found Eve attractive. They corroborated it with the amount of time I spent looking at Eve's social media and which of her photos I spent time looking at. I was baffled; there was nothing racy about Eve's social. Actually, I might have spent time looking at her photos just to have an idea of what she'd look like with sexier attire.
I withheld any reaction. The simulacrum of Eve spoke up, and in Eve's voice, she said, "It's ok. Everything in the study would be kept secret." Eve's simulacrum continued, "The study aims to build an accurate profile of what the volunteer finds attractive." The audio on the device is so good that I almost thought it was actually Eve talking.
Grace walked behind the chair and placed her hands on my shoulders. I felt the fabric of her gloves. But after a moment, the hands on my shoulder felt and smelled real--warm and with a whiff of moisturizer. Eve's Simulacrum (who we shall just now call Eve, for brevity) explained that the body suit can mimic human touch, adding another layer of realism to the simulation. Eve then stressed that all sexual interactions would have to be done through devices.
After speaking, Eve opened the luggage they brought and presented the contents like she was selling it on a live stream. Eve showcased a butt plug and a strap-on harness, one on each hand.
Eve explained she would read some statements about me, and the artificial intelligence linked to the visor would display if the statement was true or false after:
1) These are the two toys that are most prominent in your fantasies - TRUE
2) You like the strapon more but would want a new partner to use a butt plug first - TRUE
